boy meets girl with two guns
Whaddup yall,
Been a minute since I blogged as usual, but it means I’m busy outside of the net so it’s all good. Anyway’s I’ve been meaning to get at you about my boy Chief’s new album for the last couple weeks but am just finding the time now to sit down at this computer. Goes without saying as I don’t promote ish I don’t like, but let me hit you with the disclaimer. I have known Chief for quite some time and we’ve shared many beers and many shows as we toured together last year. Now that you know my bias here goes nothing….
To really get the experience of Chief you have to check out a live show which I had the pleasure of doing by attending the album release party for this project. I’m not gonna say his music is for everyone as the masses enjoy that whack shit, but the people that are in to Chief’s music hang on his every word like it is the gospel. He really speaks to a certain demographic that is diverse but also quite niche pertaining to specific experiences around the Detroit area, but ghetto’s and suburbs surrounding them are found everywhere I guess (meaning you don’t have to be from around Detroit to get it, but it helps). At his show he ran through a catalog of material and the crowd knew all the tracks like it was Jay Z at the Garden or some shit. As I’m not an expert at the body of work Chief has released I had to ride with the CD in the car for a week to get a feel for what this specific project was talking about. Needless to say it hasn’t left the CD player too much. Here are my thoughts specifically on the CD.
Chief “Broken” Review
I don’t know what it is exactly what people love about Chief and I’m sure there are an array of reasons, but if I could take a guess it is that Chief is a man extremely comfortable in his own skin and it shines through in his music. He speaks his mind (i know this is what all artists are supposed to do, or at least they front like they do, but Chief has a uniquely direct way of letting you know how he feels) and leaves it up to you to hate it or love it. However, it would seem that Chief is most comfortable in pain and that pain is what connects you to his music whether you can relate or perhaps feel better about your problems. I was telling a friend that after listening to this CD i felt like giving into all my vices and just saying fuck it. For some reason I MEAN THAT AS A COMPLIMENT. You figure it out.
As an EP the CD covers an amazing amount of ground in terms of mood, subject, and feel while staying true to its downtempo and headphone roots which get close to stretching the bounds of what hip hop is considered.
Starting off with “This Cloud ft. Rusty” Chief acknowledges his pain but you feel like there is a desire to climb out from the under and win.
On “Broken” which is the title track and my favorite track, he discusses what is probably one of his and all man’s greatest vices in terms of a woman and it also works if it is a metaphor for hip hop. Just because you are broken doesn’t mean you can’t find and be in love.
With “Lesson in Love ft. Kiko” Chief finishes the woman thought out with a sick lesson in vocal harmony from Kiko. This lady absolutely killed it and should be checked for on the solo tip if she has any work out. The last verse begins an emotional ascension of sorts. Taking a departure from just pointing out the flaws and mistakes there is a desire to change.
On “Gotta Stop Running” finds a little help from his friends as Phathom rips this track to shreds as far as you can tear up a downtempo track. Hook is dope.
On of my favorite phrases is “If you don’t know where you’re coming from, where would you go”. Chief acknowledges his love of this phrase on “Days I Remember” which is the lead single. This is probably the most feel good track on the album in my opinion and as we are a reminiscent generation, I think everyone will appreciate this track. Good choice for the single, but i wanna see anything from track 2-4 get released next (my vote is “Broken”)
“In Times Things Change” is not my cup of tea, but I wouldn’t consider it a miss but this is also a feel good and inspirational tracks (perhaps I myself am too bitter to truly appreciate the inspirational. lol or that’s actually not that funny if true).
“SODC” puts me right back on track with the program. This song can give you a sense of pride if you’re sharing the same experience as Chief is. As he has this desire to change, he’s also trying to love every moment on the in between time. And isn’t that when life happens.
“Vinnie Johnson” is the closer and the most perfect way to end this CD. Although we all have to handle serious business, you gotta have fun and enjoy yourself and that’s exactly what Chief does with this joint. As the rest of the CD is extremely up close and personal, this is an ode to the punchline style and attitude that Detroit is probably most known for.
I usually won’t go through every song when reviewing, but this is a shorter project and the man is saying something on every track. This ain’t a club project but if you’re into that you’re not reading this anyways. To me this is one of those “Headphone Masterpieces”. You will enjoy this most in your bedroom with the lights low and just zone out, or when driving in your car alone thinking about your path. The production is tight (check the credits and know i could write a book of compliments on everyone involved), there is real substance to the lyrics, and it is a complete project in a world filled with singles and ringtones. What more do you want? I could go on and on but I have my own struggles to attend to. Cop this from www.megaroyal.com (CLICK ALBUM COVERS ABOVE TO JUMP TO SITE) and tell em Large Marge sent ya. In a minute yall.
Tags: Broken, Chief, Mega Royal Records
The Subject Line pretty much says it all but here are some added reasons
1) it’s for a good cause with all proceeds going to Gleaners
2) there’s an eclectic line up so a little something for everybody
3) i’ll be drinking (you might think this is just fun for me, but if you think that you haven’t seen me drink)
4) The Situation is rumored to be there (i know it’s your guilty pleasure too)
5) 2040 will be holding me down on the 1’s and 2’s
6) I’ll be giving away free CD’s and shirts
to sum up it will be a good time for a good cause so get involved.
Tags: D. Allie, Gleaners Benefit Show
Okay. The homie Dial81 and Intricate Dialect dropped a free project at www.SuperiorBelly.com last week and this is my fav song off the track. I hate saying why songs are my fav and explaining art in general (it’s just how I feel) but i’ll appease you a little. I really dig the Superior Belly camp because frankly, they do whatever the fuck they want. They’ll sample anything, say anything, try anything and that’s what makes the style everything. I especially think that care free creative attitude comes across on this track. Listening to this can quickly turn a winter night into a spring eve and something else that would be said in a woman’s deodorant commercial. With that being said take a listen and if you like it click the album cover below the track to jump to Superior Belly and download the project for free.99.
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Tags: Beverly Fresh, Dial 81, Farenheight 2040, Free Download, Intricate Dialect, Mobil, Sweet
whaddup peeps,
as you would know from reading this blog it’s not specifically about anything in particular. i just really talk about me and my friends. as music is a big part of my life it comes through in a lot of what I talk about (I guess that’s why it’s called hip hop is my soul). Anyways with Life being Music and Music being Life I got home from the bar last night and decided to do a free write which I haven’t done in sometime to some instrumentals. What I mean by a free write is the verses are going nowhere in particular. For quite sometime everything I have written is going towards an upcoming project of mine or a friends. This has caused me to write less in between projects and I think a little of my sanity has suffered for it. The notepad is the poor mans therapist after all (although sometimes on nights of writers block it can feel like that note pad is judging you).
Anyways, I’m not sure if I’ll frequently do this but I decided to share what I wrote last evening. I don’t know if I’ll frequently do this because I don’t know if the words translate just by reading them on the page and without delivery it’s like a text message where the feeling can be misunderstood or seem cold and without emotion. However, per usual I’ll let you decide with your feedback if I should do this more often or not. With that being said let the show begin. I was listening to The Roots “LNJF Sandwiches” project when I wrote this. If you don’t have it i definitely recommend you grab it from Okayplayer.com as it is up for free download. The track off of it I wrote is to “Someone is Late for Dentist”. I always say you can learn all about me by listening to my words. I’ve written a lot of verses so each one only tells a fraction but either way here’s to us getting to know each other better in 2010.
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where are you going?
Ah my sweet solitude
I think I’m in the mood
To explore my mind got a little spare time
To get to know me, I know the old me
But I’m feelin’ brand new over this cold beat
So let me bundle up with this melody
Wrap my my ear drums in headphones and zone
Philosophize life simplified to a poem
Sanitize my soul let go of ego
And we go explore new territories
new experiences bring new stories
And we ain’t doin the same old
Naw never that, politic with clever cats
On the stoop like 227 with my sisters and brethren
Just livin’ lovin’ existence and this is
A love song dedicated to who
Well if you listenin’ dedicated to you
Nothing else to do but put your name right here
So help me out, scream it loud say your name
Let em know what you about, let em know why you came
But the question still remain’s where r u going
With styles as deep as the ocean
You can go with the flow and the next day switch it up
It’s your life, but use caution often many lost within the tide
When it rise, to swim against it is suicide, do or die
Man was once shy, now come alive in the limelight
Did he really change or just wait until the time right
That we’ll never know, he’ll never know himself
Really no right or wrong, you’re right or go left
U can be part of the in crowd but that crowd is out now
Ask me too confusing to figure out
Cat’s got the fly shirt, jean, sneakers to the cook out
Then that drama come they burn rubber who woulda thought they shook now
Cats united minds blind
Opened there eyes lashes rise to find out they on different sides
Meet me in the middle my conglomerates moderate
To everyone that think they spit that wonder rhymer shit
You better think again, yo your click ain’t shit,
Ask who I’m with yo it’s only USM
We only the illest when it comes to beats and the blends
Cats only feel this cause the dj spins again and again
I’m only gifted when it comes to the pad and the pen
And when I spit it you get lifted cause it’s heavenly scent
The rest of the crew is no different, man we get’s it in
We ain’t fearin’ that competition may the best man win
I never cast that first stone cause I ain’t without sin
I say RIP Bob Marley, the song is redemption
And if ya listenin’ this goes out to you
And love kinda rhythm nothin’ left to do
But put your name right here
Scream it out let em know what you about
I’m me and proud say it loud
Yo we been up and down and we searchin for that common ground if you were wonderin’ that’s where we goin
Ah sweet community, it’s just u and me, me and u
None of this u n I verse that I been seein in this universe
Floyd mayweather fightin for that bigger purse
Fans fair-weather better know who’s friend or foe
Only show your hand once that man’s played his
Cat’s played out too many top 40 spins, so it begin’s
Here’s the backlash, indy 500 hopin’ I don’t crash
I cruise through days of thunder, brainstormin boy wonder
And here you are caught caught without an umbrella
Ella ella ella ay, rocafella ella ella jay
Rocafella fella fella dame, andre harella ella ella Motown uptown empires fella fella
Within a day but this fella fella fella is glad to say that I’m still down with the ones
that held me down from day one, my fathers son that guitar got strummed on every
album I’ve ever done , I’m not done I won’t stop yo I just begun, seriously I’m just starting to have fun, gotta walk for you run, now watch me speed up, hungry for hip hop each one feed one, ya see love and see that everyone gone need love, that free love, I’m tellin’ you that’s what we need love, love is love, see we give and receive love, it’s all love, from my head to my check stub, love is love from the beats on the album to cats on the net downloadin, to the models in the shoots steady posin’, to them cats that stay building you were chosen, even to them fake cats that stay posin’, you’ll stay anonymous cause we ain’t for exposin, we’d rather sit back spit raps with frozen tongues, 2k10 native tongues, music’s the universal language, so it’s the universe that I sang with
Whaddup All,
Haven’t done a blog in the new year yet so figured I’d give you a quick shout. No news is good news as it means I’m making moves to give you bigger news at a later date. At the very least that’s what I’ll tell you guys to make it seem like I’m not a complete lazy ass throughout the majority of my days, but that’s neither here nor there.
What’s here is that a brotha will be partying it up at The Bosco (22930 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, MI, 48220 or the lighted boxes right next to The Magic Bag Theater) this week. Actually, I’m just working there but doesn’t it sound much more luxurious and baller if I just say I’m partying. Semantics I SAY!!!!
Tonight (which is a Wednesday for you people that think the Romans have the final word on time) we will be celebrating the birthday of Jared Sykes.
unfortunately he didn't beat out Tommy Lee for the role in Men In Black. They wanted to go older.
You might recognize this man from playing various pieces of percussion (and no “percussion” is not slang for “ladies”. lol. let the roasting begin). He is also known for throwing killer parties and even more crazy after parties (if my girlfriend asks I’ve never been to these after parties and if the girls at the afterparties ask I’ve never had a girlfriend). Anyways, the point of this there will be many people there, the ratio will be dope, and drinks will be strong. If that’s not enough to convince you let me present exhibit B. My partner in crime Shaun.
trust me. Special K is to the left of this picture admiring our respective steezes and wishing him and Magic had that kind of chemistry.
The last time me and Shaun teamed up greatness occured in the form of this. Now if you are reading this post on facebook you really want to move your browser over to www.hiphopismysoul.com because this video will not embed. (get on your shit facebook)
Nuff Said.
Now onto Friday where the homie Frankie Bank$ will be spinning as part of the rotation.
this is Franki stretching before the show
He spins good shit, and we got half priced bottles of wine and champagne from 8-11. So if you’re with you’re lady this is the spot for that after dinner drink on some Johnny Kemp “friday night, just got paid” ish.
Alright kids. Spread the word on this if you don’t want me to get evicted from my home and hopefully next time I write I’ll have some good music news to share. oh, before I forget shout out to the homie Selfsays (@selfischarles on twitter) for getting some burn on the Gilles Peterson show. I would compliment him more but I’m extremely jealous and going into a dark place. lol. When I was in a better place I wrote a blog on him so search the site and get familiar. in a minute.
Tags: Frankie Banks, Jared Sykes, Self Says, Shaun Nyeholt, the bosco
whaddup people,
if you’re just tuning in to the blog you might not know but the group I have the privilege of being a part of, United States of Mind, has released our debut album “Kill The Bullshit” as a free download.
As nobody really reads this blog thankfully our good friends at our favorite site www.potholesinmyblog.com put it up for their readership to peruse over. Jump to their site to check out what they have to say by clicking on their logo at the end of this post. Happy Holidays if I don’t blog out for the rest of the week. All I want for Christmas is your eyes and ears so thanks for lending them to me from time to time. Until next time.
dig it
Tags: Kill The Bullshit, Potholes In My Blog, United States of Mind
Take That…Take that -- See you guys on the 26th
Tags: Detroit CYDI, Family Ties, Hugh Whitaker and Blake Eerie, United States of Mind
click the album cover to jump to download site
Whaddup my people,
About a year after it’s initial release we have decided to put our debut album up for free download. Why you ask? I’m sure there are some very good reasons. Here are a few I can think of.
1) Everybody seems to be doing it these days
2) We put a subliminal message in the download to make you murder every other rapper alive. Even the dope ones. (of course we hate whack rappers but we also hate rappers more successful than us)
3) At the end of the day we just want you to hear what we’re doing over here. The money and acknowledgment from our peers is nice and all, but it begins and ends with you. We do this to express ourselves and whether you like it or not, we’re satisfied if you’ve just given it a listen so you can make an informed decision. We don’t have any crazy kind of marketing machine or budget or cool friends that make us popular so a free download is our best way to mainline our music directly to the people.
If you like what you hear all we ask is that we let your people know that we’re out here and making music. Please copy this link and spread it around -- http://unitedstatesofmind.bandcamp.com/album/kill-the-bullsh-t and when I say spread it around I mean hit your blog, hit your twitter, hit your facebook, hit your friends facebook, hit your myspace (do we still use this), and if you run a site feel free to post it. That’s about all I gotta say about it. Fuck it actually -- if you hate it let us know too cause that’s valid. Just feel something. I feel like music has been watered down for so long people have become numb to it and it’s suddenly taken on the form of soilent green or something. It’s like peeps aren’t even hungry for Hip Hop like they used to be. Well I say “Kill That Bullshit”. We cooked something up last year that I feel is gourmet so eat the fuck up and break bread with your fam. Until next time.
Tags: Free Download, Kill The Bullshit, United States of Mind
word to Alex P. Keaton
Yes yes yall, ya don’t stop, USM crew rock on.
What is up my peoples and most importantly what’s good? I write this from the confines of beautiful AJ’s cafe in the heart of downtown ferndale after enjoying a delicious vegan philly steak and cheese sandwich. As I’m about to be off to work at The Bosco I figured I’d spare a few minutes and hip you to the happening on December 26th.
The flyer pretty much says it all in terms of the performances except for the fact that DJ Benny Ben will be spinning. If you need credentials on Benny Ben and you’re from the Detroit area I’m gonna need your credentials first before we even have a discussion on the matter. Moving along….
The point I was getting at that the flyer can only touch on the family aspect of this bill and the mutual respect and admiration between the acts listed on the bill. I’ll start with Detroit CYDI.
Can You Dig It? (that's what the CYDI stands for if you haven't figured it out yet)
As I’m often sleepwalking through life (not in the way of these brainwashed masses but you get the point) I only really woke up to CYDI about a year ago first meeting them individually as people and then getting hip to their music through my man Hubert Sawyers site (www.fryinginvein.com where you can go for things that you don’t know about yet, but will swear you’ve been up on when it blows up). Regardless, they are amazing people (that goes for them and their extended fam -- whaddup Stryfe, Notion, Marc Byrd and the million other cats i’m sure i’m forgetting) and the music is eclectic varying style but never really ceases the smooth. Speaking of smooth, Buttermade Records will be in the building (the imprint that released “Turn Up The Smooth” by Stoopz n Breeze) as Blake Eerie and Hugh Whitaker release their much anticipated project “The Lateef EP”.
I had the opportunity to preview some tracks off this project at a listening party earlier this month and from what I’ve heard this joint is crazy. Keeping up with the crazy themes each track on this CD directly coincides production wise with tracks from Yusef Lateefs Detroit project (eat your heart out Danger Mouse). I’ve known both these gentleman through many years and beers so I can’t wait to have a copy of this in my hand. However, the Family Ties vibe extends beyond the groups performing which is why I tried to keep these descriptions as brief as possible. As usual it starts and ends with YOU.
We wanted to do a show around Christmas time for all the friends and fam we got that will be coming from out of town. The music is always important but for me personally on this go round it is ultimately secondary. The performances will be short and sweet so really I’m just looking to chill with all you people who helped make me the person I am (some for the worse. lol. you know who you are but come out anyways and lets reflect on how we haven’t changed a bit.) Trust if you’re reading this you are definitely in that friends and fam category (i’m not big enough to have anything but) so come out and lets share a joke or two and a brew. If that doesn’t get you teary eyed enough I got the clincher. aaaaaaaaand ACTION -
Tags: 1440 Collective, Detroit CYDI, Family Ties, Hugh Whitaker and Blake Eerie, The Lateef EP, United States of Mind
My boy Mike who is overseas playing hockey in the Netherlands sent me this gem. Maybe I’m on some grass is always greener shit, but every time I see something from cats overseas it seems like they have a crazy appreciation for the culture that we take for granted over here. Then again maybe I just think that because they’re still wearing the outfits from the golden era. lol. Check it and let me know what ya think.
